I am not a fan of the encore, but others are. Just another example of the difference in people. Shoot what you like!

allcamo,
with a single shot, how can you lay down a volley???? just askin???

I like the quality and service from T/C. I have 2 of their muzzleloaders and a Contender with a couple of barrels. I bought an Encore when they first came out in 7mm-08. I just couldn't get it to shoot to my accuracy standard. I was also having trouble with it digesting my handloads. For some reason it would not fire them. I sent it back to T/C twice. These loads worked fine in my Browning Micro Hunter. I finally figured out that the chamber must have been oversized and once I started shooting loads that were neck sized only (after being fired in it), they worked fine.
Everyone has their own opinion on acceptable accuracy. Mine is - if it can't shoot 1 1/2" five shot groups at 100 yds, its gone. And that Encore couldn't do better than 2" no matter how many loads I tried in it.
It looked good and handled nicely, but I dumped it at the local gun shop.

Bronko, I had the same problem with my T/C Encore 7mm Rem. mag. I figured I’d give the rifle a second chance and ordered a custom barrel. I will be shooting my new barrel this month and hopefully the accuracy will be to my satisfaction or it will also be gone.[:@]

Mine has been the most accurate, fun to shoot gun/hunting system I have ever had the pleasure of shooting. Period.

the only thing that really don't care for is the lever to break open the the breech, i spend alot of time hoofing it with the encore strapped across my back and that lever is murder on your back, other than that i love it.......


209x50 s/s
rem 260 stainless

I bought an Encore muzzleloader partly because it is the cheapest take down rifle system that you can buy, if you fly with firearms you'll appreciate it. A lot of guys around here use Encore ML's and have great luck with them, I hope I can try mine out in Kansas in a few days.

Honest Opinion? Helluva deal and isn't expensive, in walnut/blue, compared to any other gun, about $475. I never understood why some people say this gun is expensive when it's not unless you want only the stainless with synthetic camo. These are the same guys who can't lay out over $100 for a scope so I don't give them much salt for an opinion when they're really shooting low end guns and optics all the time. I'm always thinking that I want to enjoy a gun for a couple of decades so I'll save to get what I really want within reason. I have 7 modern brand name bolt guns and autos (including Brownings) and several scatterguns and none of my guns cost more than $600 except for a Benelli SBE. All were bought new.

Back to the Encore. Get the walnut stock. It's superior to and totally different than the synthetic and feels rock solid. Try them both out and you'll easily see why walnut is better. Now get a good trigger job. I sent my action to Mike Bellm and it's the best trigger of all my rifles and cost only $50.

Now the guy who said it's a pain on the bench to reset each time after loading is totally missing the point of a single shot mentality. After initially sighting in on the bench get off the chair and shoot this gun like you mean it in real hunting stances and positions and practice fast reloading with a wrist band double cartridge keeper. It's a one shot deal and you won't have a handy bench regardless so reloading isn't a problem because it's going to come off your shoulder anyway in real hunting. I don't know of a single hunter who cycles his bolt from the shoulder when hunting unless maybe if they're prone. Even then what's the big deal?

I have to go with sooner shooter on this ,Except for the "walnut stock".I have had and also know of people that had the walnut stock that busted .They can not hold up to the 150 grains of powder and split in the pistol grip.T/C sent replacement composite (camo) at no charge .Pretty darn good service.Gun was 4 years old.

I have had 3 encores. They have all been decent shooters with some being exceptional. My only complaint has been that the wood stocks will break. They crack at the back of the action. I have had 3 stocks crack, all while using the 209x50 barrel. I imagine that its not the act of firing that cracks the stock but the stresses exerted on the stock while loading. I now stick with just the synthetic stock until I can get either a kevlar or nice wooden stock from virgin valley. THey have the aluminum bedding block in the butstock to help with that problem.

I have a 24" 22-250 barrel and a 209x50 barrel for my encore. The 209x50 will shoot 250gr Barnes MZ sabots with clear shot pellets into 3" at 150 yards. The 22-250 barrel will shoot under MOA out to 300 yards with several loads, including the Remington UMC 45gr HP load. Its always nice to have a load you can buy over the counter for under $12 a box that will shoot 2" groups at 300 yards.

I have found a few tricks that will help your encore shoot better. Number one is that using small neopreme or pvc washers between the forend and barrel to get a good free float and using the same amount of torque each time to the forend screws. It is also good to rest the rifle closer to the reciever than the end of the forend for better groups off the bench.

The single best thing about the encore is that it is a fairly lightweight, compact, and handy. With its lack of an action the overall length is fairly short even with longer barrels. The 24" sporter barrel with light synthetic stock and compact scope make just about the best walkaround or high country rifle that I can think of. I had a 24" 25-06 barrel with 3-9 burris that was an absolute joy to carry all day and deadly on whitetails at all practical ranges.

If I could have only one rifle it would be an encore.